The best games where you can measure progress over time with a time tracker ⌚️ 2026
Looking for a really good game where you can track your progress with a timer ⌚️? Then we have just the thing for you: the list of the best time meter games 2026.
What are time Meter games?
There is a linear "time meter" with many squares. Each player has a marker on this so called "time meter" that indicates where he is "in time". Markers further along the line are further ahead in time.
The player with the last marker on the track (furthest "back in time") performs the next action. Each action costs time, and the player's marker is moved forward a number of spaces equal to that cost. Then the next lowest marker on the timer performs an action. It is possible for the same player to make several moves in a row.
"Time tracking" is also referred to as "time meter".
Examples of games where you can keep track of your progress with a timer
A good example of a time meter game is Patchwork.
List of best time meter games 2026 ⌚️
-
Patchwork
All details & ratingPatchwork is a two-player game where you compete to create the most beautiful and high-scoring patchwork quilt on your personal 9x9 game board.
2 15–30 min 8+ Easy to learnVideo reviews 1 -
Trekking Through History
All details & ratingPlayers embark on a three-day journey through human history, traveling through time to experience significant moments from the past. Each day represents a round in which players choose historical events to spend hours on, gaining advantages like ticking off points on their itinerary and collecting time crystals to manipulate the space-time continuum in future turns. Points are also earned for visiting events in chronological order, and the player with the most points after three rounds wins.
1–4 30–60 min 10+ Easy to learn -
The Search for Planet X
All details & ratingThe Search for Planet X is a captivating board game that immerses players in the world of astronomy and scientific discovery. Aspiring astronomers use a combination of observation, deduction, and a companion app to unravel the mystery of a hidden planet in our solar system.
1–4 60–75 min 13+ Easy to learn -
Tokaido: Deluxe Edition
All details & ratingThe game accommodates 2 to 5 players, immersing them in the unique atmosphere of a pilgrimage along Japan's legendary Eastern Sea Road. Players aim to collect beautiful souvenirs, discover stunning views, enjoy enriching encounters, relax in soothing hot springs, and savor the rich cuisine.
2–5 45 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Nova Luna
All details & ratingNova Luna is an abstract tile-laying strategy game that focuses on careful planning and decision-making. Players are tasked with fulfilling objectives by placing tiles strategically, creating a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
1–4 30–60 min 8+ Easy to learn+ 4 € above the best price23 € at Amazon*Video reviews 1 -
Namiji
All details & ratingPlayers take on the role of a fisherman in historical Japan, navigating the southern regions of the archipelago near the famous Tokaido Road. To win, a successful day at sea is essential, which includes observing sea creatures, fishing with nets or lines, and collecting crustaceans.
2–5 30–45 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Thebes
All details & ratingThebes is a board game focused on competitive archaeology, where players assume the roles of archaeologists exploring historical sites across Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East. The game combines strategy, time management, and a bit of luck, making it an engaging experience for players interested in history and exploration.
2–4 60 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Patchwork Express
All details & ratingPlayers aim to build the most aesthetically pleasing and high-scoring quilt on a personal 7x7 board. During the game, players can buy patches or pass, with each patch costing buttons and time, while strategically placing them on their boards. As the game progresses, darker patches become available, offering smaller pieces that help fill gaps in players' quilts.
2 10 min 6+ Easy to learnVideo reviews 1 -
Stack'n Stuff: A Patchwork Game
All details & ratingPlayers are on the move in a streamlined version of Patchwork. It's tricky and costly to pack everything into a moving truck as time runs out. The last player on the timeline selects one of the next three furniture pieces, pays the transport cost, and places it on their truck board. The player who optimally loads their truck and earns the most money wins the game.
2 20–30 min 6+ Immediately playable -
Glen More II: Chronicles
All details & ratingGlen More II: Chronicles is a sequel to the original Glen More game, offering a richly expanded gameplay experience. It transports players into the roles of leaders of Scottish clans from the early medieval ages to the 19th century.
2–4 90–120 min 12+ Medium complexity+ 13 € above the best price70 € at Amazon* -
Glasgow
All details & ratingPlayers travel through an abstract version of Glasgow to gather resources, perform special actions, and construct buildings. By building factories, players can increase their goods production based on the positioning of other buildings. The game features a randomized arrangement of city figures, from which players collect resources and can acquire building plans to expand their creations. After constructing the sixteenth building, the game concludes, and players tally points to see who contributed the most to Glasgow's development.
2 30 min 10+ Easy to learn+ 16 € above the best price30 € at Amazon* -
Monster Baby Rescue!
All details & ratingPlayers care for their sad, lost, and sick "baby monsters" that have wandered into our world. Each player selects their own "monstie," which can be a dragon, mandrake, ork, basilisk, or cerberus, and uses tiles available on the table to take care of it. There are tiles for tending to specific body parts, playgrounds, cuddle spots, diamonds for play or decoration, and wizards (veterinarians). Each tile comes with a different "cost" based on the number of steps the player’s monstie must take on the timeline. Players earn points through bonuses on the tiles and for the levels they nurture and improve for their monsties.
2–5 20–40 min 8+ Immediately playable -
Glen More
All details & ratingGlen More transports you to 17th century Scotland, where you lead a clan aiming to expand its land and wealth. This strategic game revolves around making timely decisions to develop your clan's resources, such as establishing pastures, growing grain for whisky production, trading goods, or enhancing special areas like lochs and castles.
2–5 60 min 13+ Medium complexity -
Rocky Road à la Mode
All details & ratingGet behind the wheel and experience life as a candy truck driver! Fill your truck, attract customers, and serve delicious frozen treats. The best drivers learn their customers' favorite flavors to meet demand and gain an edge in securing the hottest locations.
2–4 20–30 min 10+ Easy to learn -
Fancy Feathers
All details & ratingPlayers embark on a quest for noble pheasants on behalf of their baroness. They navigate a simple yet tricky path, collecting valuable cards while avoiding nuisances. The game supports up to six players, but to play with more than two, additional copies are needed for a sufficient number of animal cards and tokens.
2 15–30 min 8+ Easy to learn -
The Little Prince: Rising to the Stars
All details & ratingJoin the little girl on your biplane to meet the Little Prince! Fly from cloud to cloud, collecting precious stars along the way in this point-to-point movement game. Players use Fox cards to advance, with the goal of reaching the Little Prince's planet while gathering stars and special movement abilities. The player who collects the most stars by the end wins.
2–6 15–30 min 6+ Immediately playable -
Thebes: The Tomb Raiders
All details & ratingEurope in the early 20th century is full of exotic cultures and artifacts that intrigue archaeologists. Players expand their knowledge to embark on expeditions to Egypt, Mesopotamia, Crete, and Greece. The game revolves around a timeline where players spend time on various actions to gain knowledge about five civilizations, which they utilize to "dig" and draw cards containing treasures and dirt. The game ends when players can no longer take actions due to time constraints, and the player with the highest score from their collected treasures wins.
2–4 30 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Francis Drake
All details & ratingFrancis Drake is a thrilling board game that takes players back to Plymouth Harbor in 1572, during the Elizabethan era. As aspiring captains, players engage in the strategic planning of voyages to the Spanish Main, aiming to capture the riches of the Aztec and Inca Empires. The game is a competitive race to outfit ships and set sail to claim these treasures, requiring careful decision-making and resource management.
3–5 90–120 min 14+ Medium complexity -
AuZtralia
All details & ratingAuZtralia is an adventure and exploration board game set in an alternate 1930s, inspired by Martin Wallace's A Study in Emerald. In this unique setting, players are intrepid adventurers colonizing Australia after the northern hemisphere has been devastated by war and the Old Ones. Gameplay involves building ports, constructing railways, mining, and farming, all while preparing for the awakening of the Old Ones and their human armies. Time is a crucial resource, and as the game progresses, the Old Ones awaken and become active, posing a significant threat. Players must strategically prepare for their arrival, possibly cooperating with others to fend off these nightmarish beings using military units and recruited personalities.
1–4 30–120 min 13+ Medium complexity -
The Search for Lost Species
All details & ratingThousands of plants and animals have been discovered but have not been seen for decades, potentially facing extinction. Players act as scientists on an expedition to locate these lost species, focusing on those in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The game encourages logic and deduction to find and document sightings of species believed to be extinct.
1–4 60–75 min 13+ Medium complexity -
Tinners' Trail
2008 Edition
All details & ratingTinners' Trail takes you back to 19th century Cornwall, where you dive into the world of copper and tin mining. Your goal is to extract these valuable resources efficiently, keeping an eye on market prices to sell at peak times. Strategic placement of developments like ports, adits, and trains will reduce your mining costs. The twist? Your earnings should be reinvested in industries beyond Cornwall to rack up victory points. The sooner you invest, the better the returns.
3–4 60–90 min 13+ Medium complexity -
Red November
All details & ratingRed November is a cooperative survival board game that thrusts players into the chaotic environment of a malfunctioning gnomish submarine. As members of the crew, players work together to prevent an array of disasters while a rescue team is on its way.
1–8 60–120 min 13+ Easy to learn -
Kraftwagen
All details & ratingIn 1888, Bertha Benz made the first long-distance drive in an automobile, running out of fuel in Wiesloch. She stopped at a local pharmacy to obtain chemicals for refueling, establishing the world's first gas station. Players advance automotive development and production by acting as start-up companies, exploring new technologies and building improved chassis and engines while balancing buyer demands at competitive prices. The V6 edition introduces new tiles featuring the next available technology, the V6 engine.
2–4 75 min 10+ Medium complexity -
World of Warcraft Miniatures Game
All details & ratingThe miniatures game features characters from all classes available in World of Warcraft, including notable heroes like Thrall, Leeroy Jenkins, Tyrande Whisperwind, and Arugal. Players can engage in various styles, such as skirmishes with one to five characters or cooperative and competitive play in an automated dungeon.
2 45 min Easy to learn -
Tinners' Trail
2021 Edition
All details & ratingSet in 19th century Cornwall, players represent a mining conglomerate during the peak of tin and copper mining. They must auction properties across Cornwall and efficiently manage their "work points" and money to explore for resources. Once a mine is established, players extract ore while managing increasing costs. Investing early in industries outside Cornwall yields victory points, but they must outmaneuver competitors to succeed. This edition features changes such as accommodating 1-5 players and using tiles instead of dice to determine resources, along with the introduction of double-use cards for strategic advantages.
1–5 60–90 min 14+ Medium complexity -
Firefly Adventures: Brigands and Browncoats
All details & ratingPlayers utilize the diverse abilities and skills of Malcolm, Zoë, Jayne, Kaylee, and Wash in this cooperative, mission-based combat game. The game features two different miniatures for each crew member, allowing players to choose between a casual or heroic pose, each with unique actions. Completing jobs comes with challenges, as players will encounter hired thugs, and situations may demand negotiation, technical skills, or even violence.
1–5 90–120 min 14+ Medium complexity -
Trollfjord
All details & ratingTrollfjord is a family strategy game where a massive wooden hammer strikes a towering wooden fortress. Players populate the board with trolls and position them strategically around legendary rock fortresses. With a mix of luck and tactical placement, players can collect valuable treasure tokens while deciding how to move or place their trolls on the unique timeline that drives gameplay.
2–4 45–60 min 10+ Easy to learnVideo reviews 1 -
Olympos
All details & ratingOlympos is a dynamic board game by Philippe Keyaerts, the designer behind the acclaimed Small World. Set in a mythic interpretation of ancient Greece and Atlantis, Olympos offers a streamlined yet deep civilization-building experience, condensing expansive gameplay into a brisk 60-90 minutes suitable for 2-5 players. Described as a "gamer's game" despite its shorter duration, it challenges players to strategically expand their territories and develop their civilization through innovative mechanics and thematic elements.
2–5 45–90 min 10+ Medium complexity -
High Rise
All details & ratingHigh Rise is a strategic city-building game with a touch of corruption. Players gain bonuses by engaging in corrupt actions, but the game punishes the most corrupt players by deducting victory points at the end. Actions are performed on a one-way street, and players score points for building structures, receiving one point per floor. After each round, players get bonus points for the tallest buildings, and the player with the most victory points after penalties for corruption wins.
1–4 100–150 min 14+ Medium complexity
Frequently asked questions
Which game ranks first on this list?
Patchwork currently tops our list. The ranking is derived from player community ratings and is recalculated continuously.
How many players do the games on this list support?
Most games on this list support 2 to 4 players. The exact player count is listed with each game.
What age are these games suitable for?
Publisher age recommendations on this list start at 6 years. Each game carries its own age rating.
How long does a game take?
A typical game takes about 45 to 60 minutes. Each game's playing time is listed individually.
Didn't find the game you were looking for?
We're positive that you'll find it in one of our other lists! To make the search easier for you, we split our website into different categories. The following board game categories will help you find the right list: